Wintery Hats

Each semester, we have a grand opening for our Scholastics Book Fair. During our opening, we have an Art Walk that gives you an opportunity to show off your amazing talents! This semester, the theme for our book fair, is Winter Wonderland.

In this lesson, we will create top hats that express what you think of when you think of winter. For me, living most of my life in the desert, I don't think of snowmen or hot chocolate. It doesn't snow much in the desert, but it does get a chilly and the colors of the desert fade. My hat reflects my expression of the desert. What will will your hat reflect? Snow? Christmas? Your favorite sweatshirt?

To begin, we need a cardboard cylinder. I used half of an oatmeal container, but you can use a large cardboard soda cup or a small movie popcorn container.

Step one: Cut out the bottom of the cylinder and cut straight vertical slits 2/3 of the way down the cylinder, about one inch apart. Fan the strips out.

Step 2: Place cylinder on a sheet of cardboard and draw a circle, slightly bigger than the container and cut it out.

NOTE: the large the circle, the more flared your sides will be.

Step 2: Place the cut circle on top of the cylinder and begin taping the strips to the edge of the circle.

NOTE: I started by taping across the hat to keep the circle even instead of going all the way around.

I also placed a long strip of tape around the middle to help shape the sides of the hat (this is optional).

Step 4: After all strips have been tape, place the cylinder on another sheet of cardboard, trace the cylinder and then draw a larger circle than the top (so you have two circles drawn). This will be the brim of the hat, so you can decide how wide you want it to be, but it should be over an inch wider than the top all the way around. Cut out the center circle, making a cardboard ring.

Step 5: Flip your hat upside down and put the ring of cardboard over the cylinder and tape into place.

NOTE: notice that there is not a ton of tape!

Advanced: Your brim can be flat, or you can curve it by pushing two sides down and cutting of the cardboard along the ring and securing it with tape, which is what I did.

Step 6: Flip your hat upright and secure the brim with more tape.

TIP: To make quick work and to allow every one at your table to use the roll of tape, tear short strips of tape and stick them on the edge of your table.

Option: You can curl the brim of your hat by gently folding and rolling the sides.

Step 7: Paper mache in this order to help its stability:

    1. Top edge of the hat.
    2. The top.
    3. Top edge where brim meets the sides
    4. The sides
    5. Top portion of the brim, folding the paper over the edge.
    6. Underneath the brim (not shown).

NOTE: The brim will dry hard in whatever position you leave it to dry in, so take care to have it the way you want it in this step!

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#2

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#5-a

#5-b

Step 8: Decorate your hat! Paint your hat and add decorations to your hat!

When we started this project, we made sketches. Revisit your sketch and begin decorating your hat. Here is my sketch.... it's a rough sketch, done very quickly, so don't judge that bow! ;)

Remember to express yourself in your artwork. I will be painting mine yellow-green, my favorite color and adding some paint brushes that I spray painted gold (like the MONA awards I give out).

I still have to add my feathers and paint brushes, but you get the idea.... :D

Ms. Mo's Merry Hat!

Along with my general rubric, which can be found on the home page, students need to meet the following criteria:

  • The hat is made from a cardboard cylinder with flared sides, flat top, and a brim (reflecting a top hat).
  • The cardboard is covered in paper mache, binding the joints and filling the slats made to flare the sides.
    • The hat needs to be a sound structure.
  • The hat is painted and decorated with items that reflect the Arctic or Winter Wonderland.
    • The paint is neatly applied
    • Decorations that are added are secure
    • Glue used to adhere decorations do not show.